trūDERMA

On-the-Go Gorgeous

We’ve been waiting for months, and its finally here: SUMMER!! That means beach days, sun dresses, campfires, exotic locations, late nights and easy living. And that it’s officially vacay season! But before you hop on that plane or take that road trip, make sure you’ve got your beauty essentials covered.

First things first, sunscreen: arguably the most important summer staple. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, you should be wearing sunblock EVERY time you will be in the sun for more than 20 minutes, especially on your face. I get it, we all want to get that perfect summer tan. But we also don’t want our skin to look like leather when we’re 50, have to battle with age spots for the rest of our lives, and would really like to avoid a skin cancer scare. Slather that sunscreen on, your future skin will thank you! You will still get a tan while wearing sunscreen, I promise. It just might take a little longer. (Use Banana Boat Summer Color Self-Tanner on your face and body to fake it till you make it!) I like using two separate sunscreens; Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch SPF 55 is great for the face and won’t cause breakouts, and Coppertone Sport SPF 30 is perfect for the rest of the body and stays put between applications. (You should reapply every couple of hours.) And for an extra tanning boost: use Maui Babe Browning Lotion all over, after you apply your sunscreen. Its the best tan accelerator I’ve ever used, tinted so you’ll look instantly bronzed, and smells like brown sugar (yum!).

Next lets talk about Airplane essentials. Airplanes take you to altitudes that are not exactly skin friendly. The recirculated air can really dry out your skin, so drink lots of water and keep your skin happy with extra moisture. I usually try to board the plane wearing as little makeup as possible. After I get settled, I use face wipes (try Simple Radiance Cleansing Wipes) to remove my makeup, and then apply an extra-hydrating face lotion (my favorite is Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream) all over my face. I also use Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment w/ Avocado around my eyes, which tend to get the most dry, and slather The Body Shop shea body butter on my hands. Let these products sink in until about 30 minutes before landing, and then touch up your makeup. Pack a small cosmetics bag with the few products you need to make yourself look awake and refreshed (mine include Dream Lumi Touch Illuminating Concealer by Maybelline, Stila Convertible Color cream blush in Peony, a quick swipe of Full and Soft Mascara by Maybelline and a little NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair). You’ll get off your flight looking like you just had a spa session, instead of like you just dealt with no leg room and crying babies for 3 hours. Also, your skin won’t look dry and dull for the rest of your trip!

Lastly, make sure you streamline your makeup routine. A vacation is not the time to try out new looks that you don’t feel totally comfortable with. Pack only the products you’ll need for one day time look and one night time look. If you’re like me and tend to change your mind last minute, pack a couple wild card items, like a bright lipstick or eyeshadow, that you can use to switch up your look. You choose clothes that go along with your specific vacay activities, and you should also pack your makeup accordingly! If you are headed to the beach, focus on products for a light, airy look. Tinted moisturizer, creamy concealer, bronzer, a light summery blush, mascara and a pretty metallic eyeshadow are really all you need. Add a couple lipstick colors to punch up your look when you go out at night. Going camping or to the lake? Pack tinted moisturizer, waterproof mascara, cream blush and tinted lip balm and you’re good to go. Just to get you started, here are some of my travel makeup essentials: